


Love or You’re the Host

by Heat_waves



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Angst, Best Friends, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Mystery, Pining, Romance, Slow Burn, Sweater weather, Thriller, Unrequited Love, karlnap, love or host
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2021-02-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 18:53:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27811054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Heat_waves/pseuds/Heat_waves
Summary: Karl has been invited to be the host of a Love or Host that is taking place in person, at a mansion. Over the past month, Karl has secretly fallen for Sapnap. Karl hopes that Sapnap will be there, and that fate will be on his side. When the Love or Host starts, things take an unexpected turn.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity & Karl Jacobs, Alexis | Quackity & Sapnap, Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream/GeorgeNotFound (Video Blogging RPF), Karl Jacobs & Sapnap, Karl Jacobs/Sapnap, Niki | Nihachu & Wilbur Soot
Comments: 95
Kudos: 381





	1. You Have No Idea

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by Heatwaves, as you may see in my username. I am okay with cc’s knowing about this as long as they are okay with it.  
> This is from Karl’s POV.  
> Karl’s thoughts are written in italics.  
> Enjoy reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl’s POV.  
> Karl and Sapnap have been friends for awhile, but will things change the way Karl hopes they will? After receiving a weird message about Love or Host, Karl hopes fate will be on his side.

Karl’s running around the dream SMP server while streaming. Feelings of anxiety course through his veins but he doesn’t quite understand why. He’s on a discord call with Quackity, Sapnap, and Wilbur. Quackity is screaming at the top of his lungs at Sapnap since Sapnap killed him and took all of his stuff.  
  
"COME HERE YOU LITTLE BITCH," Quackity screams.  
  
"I BET YOU WANT ME TO COME," Sapnap says flirtatiously.  
  
"WOAH," the whole call screams and laughs except for Karl. He scoffs at them.  
  
He senses some seriousness in Sapnap’s voice. He takes a deep breath and bites the inside of his cheek. He rolls his eyes and exhales. His eyebrows are furrowed. He feels himself getting angrier by the second. The anger builds up and he feels like he’s going to explode. He quickly puts on a fake face because he’s streaming and comes to the realization that Wilbur is screaming his name.  
  
"KARL. KARRRRL. KARL JACOBS."  
  
"What do you want," Karl snaps at him.  
  
"Dude you need to chill," Quackity says.  
  
Karl looks over at chat and they are all spamming, "Ooh karl is jealous."  
  
"Guys I’m not freaking jealous," he says.  
  
"Who said anything about you being jealous?" Wilbur said.  
  
"Nothing. I think I’m just gonna end the stream," Karl says.  
  
He says his goodbyes to the chat and the discord call. He turns off the stream and his computer. He pauses for a second staring at himself in the computer screen reflection. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. He places both of his hands on his forehead and rests his elbows on his desk.  
  
_What the fuck was that Karl. Why the hell did you say that._  
  
He stands up, shoves his chair into his desk so hard that the webcam falls over. He rolls his eyes and walks to his bed. He buries his head into his pillow and screams. Every burst of energy rushes out of him. He feels blood rushing to his face and his head feels shaky. He can feel his pulse radiating throughout his body. His face is red and he’s out of breath. He turns over and looks up at the ceiling. He squeezes his eyes shut and tenses his face.  
  
Over the past month Karl’s feelings for Sapnap have changed. Before he looked at him as a best friend who was just that, a best friend. Now his heart races at the thought of him. His mind thinks of thoughts that give him butterflies. Shivers run through his body, chills on his skin, craving the loving embrace of him. His hand grabs his sheet to the side of him. He takes a deep breath.  
  
_Being with him is like the feeling you get when you go to sleep the night before something exciting. His little giggles on the streams. He’s my shelter. He’s the feeling of when it’s raining and you’re driving under a bridge and the rain stops for a second. Time stops for a minute. The way he brings me joy and makes me feel like we are the only people in the room. The nerves never leave._  
  
Karl opened his eyes and saw he was hugging his anime pillow. He let go and put the pillow under his bed.  
  
**Knock knock knock.**  
  
Karl looks over to his bedroom door and sees an envelope slide under the door. He runs and opens the door but no one is standing there. He knocks on his roommates’ door expecting an answer but he gets no reply. He swiftly runs down the stairs to the window next to the front door. The driveway that would usually be filled with his roommates’ cars was empty. He raised an eyebrow and walked around the house checking windows and rooms. Nothing. No windows broken, no sign of entry, and no people.  
  
_How did the letter get into my room? How did I hear knocking?_  
  
He ran up the stairs with each step creaking underneath him. He gets to his room and closes the door. He bends down and picks up the envelope. The envelope is blank. No addresses and no stamps. He flips it over and a blue circular sticker is holding the flap shut. He peels the sticker off and throws it on the ground. He pulls a white typed letter out of the envelope.  
  
It reads, "Karl Jacobs, you have been invited to be the host of Love or Host. This week’s love or host is different. It will be in person. Come, if you please, to Earnhart mansion tomorrow."  
  
_Tomorrow? That’s a bit soon._  
  
He continues reading.  
  
"Here’s the thing. You can’t tell anyone you’re doing this and I can’t tell you who is on the show. I hope to see you there. -Austin."  
  
_He has never invited me by mail. He usually sends me a text. I hope Sapnap is there._  
  
Karl smiles ear to ear with hope. He looks at the time and sees it is 11pm.  
  
_I should probably go to bed._  
  
He looks at his phone and sees notifications. His heart jumps and blood rushes to his face. He picks up his phone and sees a text from Sapnap. Anxiety rises in him and his breathing intensifies.  
  
_Shit. I’ve fallen in deep. No backing out now._  
  
He swipes open the notification and Sapnap said, "Hey I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. I was just messing with Quackity."  
  
_Crap. Now he’s gonna have the wrong impression._  
  
He typed, "It’s okay. You could never make me uncomfortable."  
  
His finger slides and hits send and his heart jumps. He starts to panic and his breathing gets heavier.  
  
**Ding.**  
  
He’s sweating as he opens the message.  
  
"I love you dude," Sapnap responded.  
  
_You have no idea Sapnap._  
  
"I love you too Sapnap," he replies.  
  
"Want to call me?" Sapnap sends.  
  
Karl freezes and his facial expression goes blank. His heart drops to his feet.  
  
_Oh my god, oh my god._  
  
He pauses for a minute.  
  
_Call him you dumbass._  
  
He goes to the phone call app and stalls. He gulps and presses Sapnap’s name.  
  
**Ring ring ring.**  
  
On the third ring he hears a calming, familiar voice, "Hello?"  
  
"Oh h-hey Sapnap," his voice quivers.  
  
"Haha your voice is cute when you stutter," Sapnap says.  
  
Karl laughs and smiles ear to ear, "Thanks Sapnap."  
  
He walks over to his bed and sits down.  
  
"Why did you want to call me?" he asks.  
  
"I wanted to tell you something," he says.  
  
Karl quietly gasps.  
  
_Could it be what I think it is? What I hope it is?_  
  
"Yes?" he softly says into the phone.  
  
"I really hope you won’t think differently of me after this," Sapnap says.  
  
Chills go through his body and his heart is racing.  
  
"I could never look at you differently," Karl says.  
  
_It’s true. I will never be able to get him out of my head. He’s perfect._  
  
"Apparently I’m not supposed to tell anyone but.. I trust you. You mean a lot to me," Sapnap says.  
  
Karl closes his eyes and smiles. The butterfly feeling in his stomach intensifies and he feels like he’s going to throw up.  
  
After a long pause Sapnap says, "I was invited to go on Love or Host. It’s taking place at some mansion and I got a really weird letter."  
  
"Wait you got that too? I got a letter and it told me that.." Karl hesitates.  
  
_Should I tell him? He’s going to be a contestant on my show. He could choose love. He could choose me. He could finally choose me._  
  
Karl snaps out of it and hears Sapnap talking, "Uhh Karl? You stopped mid sentence."  
  
Karl clears his throat.  
"Oh sorry never mind it doesn’t matter," Karl says.  
  
"You can talk to me Karl. I’ll always be here for you," he says.  
  
Karl smiles taking in what Sapnap just said. Worry creeps into his mind.  
  
_Will he be here for me even when I have strong feelings for him?_  
  
"I have to go Karl. I have to get ready for tomorrow. I’ll miss you," he says in a joking tone.  
  
"I’ll miss you too sappynappy," Karl says in his child voice.  
  
"Bye Karl," sapnap says laughing and hangs up.  
  
Karl puts down his phone and lays back. He places his hand on his forehead and takes a deep breath. Every conversation that ends with Sapnap always makes him the happiest person alive. He grabs the pillow and holds it close to him. He imagines being in Sapnap’s embrace and falls asleep quickly.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to get more chapters out but I hope you enjoyed it!  
> I am also new to AO3 so I will try to figure out how all of this works XD.


	2. I Wish This Was a Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl’s POV.  
> Karl anticipates what will happen on Love or Host later in the day, but until then his mind wanders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has more sexual themes/ is more suggestive.
> 
> My TikTok is: Heat_wavess  
> This is also posted on Wattpad! My username: Heat_waves and same title.
> 
> Enjoy reading!

Karl wakes up the next morning feeling more nervous than before. Now that he knows Sapnap is going to be there, the anxiety is worse than ever. Butterflies have exceeded beyond his stomach and they have spread everywhere throughout his body. He knows that he has to dress to impress, but he can’t dress too nice.  
  
He gets up and walks over to his closet, hesitating for a little bit before picking out an outfit. He pulls out a white collared shirt, purple crew neck sweatshirt, somewhat tight black jeans, and black shoes. He takes off his pajamas and puts on the outfit. He looks over to his dresser that has a mirror connected to it. He notices the new, tiny, gold chain he bought the other day sitting on the dresser. He picks up the gold chain and places it around his neck.  
  
He looks up at his outfit in the mirror. He smooths out his sweatshirt and adjusts the collar. His hand brushes and moves the gold chain, so he fixes it to its original place. As he touches the chain around his neck, his mind wanders. He imagines Sapnap standing behind him in the mirror.  
  
Sapnap is slightly taller than Karl. He’s wearing a white hoodie and smells strongly of cologne. Karl recognizes the cologne. He remembers the smell from when he hung out with Sapnap a week ago.  
  
His mind blurs and the room goes black as he is being transferred back into a past memory. His vision becomes filled with the dark inside of a car and a barely lit up road is expanding in front of him. He panics for a second as he realizes that there is no steering wheel in front of him.  
  
_Wait. I’ve been here before. I know this memory._  
  
The memory brings him a sense of comfort.  
  
_Our late night drives._  
  
He hears a sweet sound playing around him.  
  
**"I’m going back to 505. If it’s a..."**  
  
A deep, almost whisper like voice supports the solo voice on the radio.  
  
_Sapnap._  
  
He looks to his left and Sapnap is the one driving.  
  
_Of course, I remember this._  
  
Sapnap’s head tilts and he looks at Karl, still singing along to 505 by Arctic Monkeys.  
  
_His eyes sparkle and outshine the dark sky we are surrounded by._  
  
Karl’s eyes wander all over his face and they end up focusing on his beard. A sly smirk spreads across Sapnap’s face. His head turns back to the road as he continues to sing the song.  
  
**"...lying on your side. With your hands between your thighs."**  
  
Karl looks back at the road smiling. Sapnap knows how much he loves night drives.  
  
A slight movement in the corner of Karl’s eye catches his attention. His eyes meet and process the moving object.  
  
_It’s Sapnap’s hand._  
  
His hand lingers over the space between them. Karl takes a deep breath anticipating its next move. It continues on its original path and meets Karl’s left thigh.  
  
_No, stop Karl. That’s not what happened._  
  
Sapnap’s hand is just above his knee. His thumb slides back and forth feeling the smooth fabric of his grey sweatpants. Karl winces at the soft feeling of his thumb.  
  
Karl watches as Sapnap’s hand slides up his leg, his fingers following the seam of his pants. As his hand gets closer to his hips, Karl gets a blooming feeling in his chest that spreads throughout his body. His heart beats faster at the tingling feeling of his hand. Karl looks back up at the road emerging out of the darkness and he closes his eyes. He takes a deep breath.  
  
_Karl you know this didn’t happen._  
  
Suddenly, the angst goes away. He opens his eyes and looks down at his thigh. His hand is gone. Karl’s eyes widen and they dart over to the steering wheel. Sapnap’s hands are stuck on the wheel, showing no signs of movement and no plans to. Sapnap is still singing the line Karl thought he previously heard.  
  
_Don’t mix your memories with your dreams. Go back to reality._  
  
Karl snaps back and sees himself standing in the mirror with Sapnap.  
  
_Or your false reality._  
  
Sapnap’s left hand is in the same area as Karl previously imagined. Sapnap’s hand snakes up to his waist and rests on his belly button. Sapnap slightly grabs his shirt. Karl quickly inhales. He grabs Sapnap’s left hand with his left.  
  
"Our hands fit perfectly. Just how it should be," Sapnap whispers in his ear.  
  
"You’re perfect. Just for me," Karl whispers turning to look at him.  
  
They both pause for a second. Lips less than an inch away from each other. Sapnap looks down at his lips. Karl feels Sapnap’s warm breath on his face. Sapnap turns and looks down at Karl’s chest.  
  
Sapnap’s right hand goes under Karl’s right arm. His hand traces his ribs and then gently touches his lower chest making its way to his collar bone. His hand stops on the bone rising and falling with each uneven breath Karl takes. His hand rests for a few seconds. His finger begins to follow the bone like words being skimmed on a page. His hands apply very gentle pressure to the bone.  
  
Karl looks down at Sapnap’s wandering hands. His heart is racing and he looks back up at Sapnap in the mirror. Sapnap’s green eyes meet Karl’s blue. Sapnap’s hand lingers for a second but the eye contact never breaks. His hand makes its way to Karl’s chain and he fiddles with it for a second. His hand’s close to Karl’s neck and Karl takes a deep breath.  
  
Sapnap’s cold fingers touch his neck and he slightly groans. Sapnap gently squeezes his neck. Sapnap turns and looks at his cheek. His hand slides down to the top of Karl’s chest.  
  
Sapnap tucks his face into Karl’s neck kissing it slowly, covering every inch of the side of his neck. Some kisses are quick and some are long and passionate. Karl can feel his warm breath. Karl lifts his head to the side, closes his eyes, and lets out a quick soft noise.  
  
Sapnap whispers, "I bet you like that."  
  
"You’re never wrong." Karl replies, "I wish this was a reality."  
  
"Why can’t it be?" Sapnap asks.  
  
"You’re not actually here," Karl says raising an eyebrow.  
  
Then Sapnap disappears. Karl sighs because his vision of him is gone. He lowers his head and his eyes meet themselves in the mirror. He pauses for a moment.  
  
_Please come back. I’m not ready for you to leave._  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all of the support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will try to post at least one chapter a week!


	3. Hope Crumbles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl's POV.  
> Have things been going as smoothly as Karl thinks they have? After an unpleasant phone call, Karl's hopes start to fade away.

As his heart continues to race after the intense moment he went through, he looks over to his clock sitting on the table to the left of him. He sees the time is 9:17 am.  
  
_I should probably get going, even though I don't even know what time Austin wants me there._  
  
His rosy cheeks are radiating heat like a furnace. He places his cold hands on his face trying to cool himself off. He removes his left hand off of his face and reaches for his lanyard that has his keys attached to it. He places the keys in his left back jean pocket, having the cloth piece of the lanyard hanging out. He scans his room for his phone, noticing it is sitting on his desk that has his computer and streaming things. As he is walking over, his eyes focus on the knocked over webcam. His jaw slightly drops.  
  
_Shit, I really hope it didn't break._  
  
He carefully picks up the webcam and his arm lightly brushes his computer screen. The screen lights up and it reminds him of the bizarre discord call.  
  
_I should probably check my discord group chats._  
  
He logs onto his computer and drags his mouse over to the discord app. It opens to his group chat with Quackity, Wilbur, and Sapnap. There are 8 unread messages.  
  
Wilbur wrote, "Hey Karl, are you okay?"  
  
"He's not online Wilbur," Quackity responded.  
  
"Well I can see that," Wilbur replied.  
  
"Maybe you could call him? I would but I don't have his number."  
  
"Wouldn't you think I would of called him instead of typing in this group chat?"  
  
"Guys, chill, I have his number. I'll just call him," Sapnap typed.  
  
"Ooh, Sapnap's got a crush," Quackity responded.  
  
"You're looking way too into it. It's just a phone number," Sapnap replied.  
  
Karl takes the message as if Sapnap said it to him. His heart slowly sinks in his chest and his smile slowly fades.  
  
_Sapnap only called me because he was the only one who had my number. He never cared. He's right, why would I look into that?_  
  
Karl looks down at his phone and there are plenty of notifications. He secretly hopes for a message from a certain someone. Picking up the phone, he checks Messages first. An unread message from Sapnap sits in his inbox. He stalls for a moment.  
  
_Is it even worth reading?_  
  
He clicks on the message.  
  
"Hey can you call me?"  
  
He inhales and closes his eyes. A fuzzy feeling forms in his chest. Butterflies fill his stomach.  
  
_Are his texts going to do this to me every time?_  
  
He thinks for a moment before responding.  
  
"Yeah, is something wrong?" Karl types as he bites his lip.  
  
He immediately gets a reply back. His eyebrows raise and his breathing gets quicker.  
  
_That was fast._  
  
"I'm low key nervous for Love or Host later. I don't know what to expect."  
  
Just as he finishes reading the message, a phone call comes through. Sapnap is calling. Karl's eyes go wide, freezing as he takes in what is happening. His finger reaches over to the green answer button. His heart races as the call connects.  
  
_Play it cool._  
  
"Hey, Nick," Karl says dragging out the syllables.  
  
"Uh, hi?" Sapnap replies hesitantly.  
  
_Fuck. That was literally the opposite of cool._  
  
His face tenses as a few moments of silence follow Sapnap's reply. Sapnap breaks the silence.  
  
"So, like I told you last night, I have the Love or Host today."  
  
His voice is smooth like silk.  
  
"Yeah, I remember," Karl replies softly.  
  
Karl glances over to the invitation sitting on the desk to the right of him. His face feels as hot as a Summer's day.  
  
Sapnap says after a short pause, "I told Quackity about it and apparently he's invited too."  
  
_So I'm not the only one he told._  
  
Karl's face is filled with a little bit of shock.  
  
"Oh, you did?" Karl says fidgeting with his sweatshirt.  
  
They both fall silent. Karl feels the awkward tension through the phone, but to him there is slightly something more.  
  
"Karl?"  
  
"Yes?" Karl says quickly.  
  
"Why are things so," Sapnap pauses, "awkward... between us."  
  
Karl hesitates before saying, "What do you mean?"  
  
"That. That silence. I feel like recently there's been a wall between us. Not a wall- a fucking..castle. I hate it."  
  
"I know, I hate it too."  
  
"Fuck," Sapnap whispers into the phone breathlessly.  
  
Karl tilts his head back and closes his eyes while he inhales. A throbbing feeling passes through the lower half of his body.  
  
_God, stop, he doesn't feel this way about you._  
  
Karl exhales almost making a small, soft noise. He prays Sapnap didn't hear anything.  
  
"I don't know, things just seem so... different now," Sapnap says after some silence, "We were great a week ago, what happened?"  
  
Karl brings his head forward, "Last week was more than great. It was perfect. What I always wanted."  
  
"You wouldn't want anything more?"  
  
Karl notices some curiosity in his voice that wasn't there before. A nervous feeling sirs around in his chest. He quickly panics looking for an answer.  
  
_What way does he mean it? Relationships? Anything? Is he messing with my head?_  
  
Karl laughs and replies, "Well, maybe for Pokimane to come on the SMP."  
  
Sapnap lets out a long giggle. Karl's facial expression freezes in a smile. Sapnap's laughter fills up the empty room around him. His laugh is deep and hearty.  
  
_His laugh is like sunshine on a cloudy day, a breath of fresh air. The sound is so sweet, no bird could ever sing it. He is the warm embrace you didn't know you needed. How is he so adorable?_  
  
"Nick," Karl blurts out while softly groaning. His eyes widen at the realization of what he said.  
  
"Why all of the sudden are you saying my name, Karl?"  
  
"Sometimes," Karl utters suddenly and his heart beating out of his chest, "things change."  
  
"What could of possibly changed between us?" Sapnap slowly questions.  
  
Karl's heart shatters into a million pieces. A smile quickly fades from his face. His shoulders slowly fall along with a deep feeling in his chest. A small part of hope in him crumbles. A long silence follows Sapnap's deafening question.  
  
Karl's voice starts to break as he slowly says, "Or should I say sometimes they don't."  
  
"What just happened, Karl? Are you-" Sapnap starts to say but is cut off by Karl hanging up.  
  
Battling the tears in his eyes, Karl shoves his phone into his right back jean pocket. He looks around his desk at his streaming set up, processing what just happened. His chest quickly rising and falling. His eyebrows pinch together. His vision is blurry and he can barely see the clock on his computer. He squints his eyes trying to focus them. The time reads 9:37am. He looks down thinking for a moment.  
  
_I don't want to go anymore. I don't even know what time I'm supposed to be there. When we would stream it, Austin usually wanted us ready by 10:45 am, so I guess I'll go by that._  
  
He wipes his eyes and rubs his face taking in a couple of deep breaths.  
  
_Breathe. Everything will be okay._  
  
_I hope._  
  
He turns around, meets his bedroom door, and stops.  
  
_I could come back here with a date, or I could make a fool of myself by being hosted. If I choose Sapnap, would he even want to go on a date with me?_  
  
He opens the door ready to face the challenge that awaits.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I have finals soon so I may not post as much. I will try to though!


	4. He's So Pretty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A creepy feeling fills the house and Karl senses it as he is leaving. His nervousness for the Love or Host gets worse and worse as he drives closer to the mansion. Once he arrives at the mansion, he is greeted by his other half, Sapnap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting for awhile! Finals were exhausting.  
> This chapter has a lot of detail and description of the setting in the beginning, but Karlnap content closer to the middle/end.  
> Enjoy reading!

Karl steps through the door, his shoe pressing into the soft carpet. His eyes scan the walls of the second floor and he sees that all of the bedroom doors are opened. He cocks his head slightly to the side. An ominous feeling fills the air around him.  
  
_My roommates never leave their doors open. When I got the letter, their doors were closed. Could they be downstairs?_  
  
Despite the unsettling feeling he has, he walks slowly to the staircase. The tip of his shoes lines up with the edge of the first step. He pauses at the top, tilting his head closer to the first floor. He listens for any subtle sounds indicating that people are in the house. Silence heavily coats the air. The usual clatter of dishes, thud of footsteps, and faint laughter is absent. The silence is causing a deafening pressure in his head. He shifts his head back to its original resting position as he vigilantly watches the first floor. His quick eyes try to make up for the lack of sound perceived in his mind.  
  
Karl's foot presses gently onto the first wood step. The step creaks under the added pressure of his body. He flinches at the sudden sound. His heart starts to race and his eyes dart to across the room. He freezes as his brain tries to process the noise.  
  
_It was just the creaking of the step. Chill._  
  
Karl's watchful eyes return to the steps as he continues the slow pace down the stairs. He reaches for the smooth wood railing next to him. His hand traces the railing to the bottom of the stairs. As his body curves around the base of the stairs, his eyes are quickly looking around the first floor for movement.  
  
His attention is diverted to a table in the kitchen. His roommates' phones are on the table lined up in a horizontal line. He pinches his eyebrows and swiftly walks over to the phones. He reaches for the phone on the far left and taps on the glass screen. Instead of the screen lighting up with notifications, a faded, grey outline of a battery appears. He presses on the phone to the right. The same pixelated design is shown. He taps on the remaining two phones, but the result is the same.  
  
_They're dead?_  
  
A creepy feeling engulfs the small room around him. Karl's eyes nervously shift around the room, searching for the reason why the phones are dead and lined up next to each other. He stumbles back from the table causing his legs to quickly carry him away from the graveyard of phones. As he is staggering backwards, he feels as if the ground is moving like a treadmill. He loses track of where he is in the kitchen. His lower back slams into the marble kitchen countertop behind him. The edge of the counter barely misses his spine.  
  
"Shit!" Karl shouts out tensing his face.  
  
His back bounces off of the hard counter after feeling the short, intense pain. His hand instinctively reaches for his back. He lifts the back of his shirt and easily locates where he hit his back. His soft, cold hands press gently on the tender area. He winces at the pain inflicted by his hand. The throbbing pain spreads to his spine. He twists his back so he can look at what damage the counter could have caused. He notices a red mark on the spot where his back hit.  
  
_What the heck. That’s going to leave a bad bruise._  
  
Karl twists his body back to its normal position. His shirt falls to his jeans as he removes his hand from his back. He turns around carefully making sure that he does not knock into anything else. His footsteps cautiously hit the ground as he walks toward the front door, his mind still influenced by the unsettling feeling he felt earlier. Once he reaches the door, he looks back at the herd of dead phones. A puzzled, scared look fills his face.  
  
_How come my roommates didn't bring their phones? Why are all of the phones dead?_  
  
Karl tries to push away the concerning thoughts as his hand twists the door lock open. His hand drops down to the door handle and he swings the door open. He reminds himself to lock the door so that whatever might of came in, stays out. His fingers fiddle with the lock on the doorknob. He hears a faint click reassuring him that the lock has been activated. He steps through the doorway and his arm reaches out for the doorknob so he can pull the door shut. His hand wraps around the knob as he pulls the door closer to his body. The door fades into the wall and he tries to twist the knob but it does not give in.  
  
_It's locked. Good._  
  
He steps down the concrete porch steps and follows the pathway that leads to his driveway. His shoes scuff the driveway as he walks on the once filled black pavement. His steps trace the driveway that is cracked from the added pressure of the cars. Or used to be added pressure of the cars. Karl slightly frowns.  
  
_If they don't come back, I guess the driveway cracking won't be a problem anymore._  
  
Karl shakes his head dismissing the thought. He meets his car parked at the curb and jumps off the curb like a child would. He laughs to himself.  
  
_Sapnap loves when I act like a child._  
  
Karl swiftly walks over to the left side of his car, looking around for any incoming cars. He grabs the lanyard out of his left pocket and unlocks the car. While opening the door, he pulls his phone out of his pocket. He sits down on the leather seat and closes the door. He places his phone into the cup holder. He inserts the keys into the ignition and starts the car.  
  
_I should probably put the directions in so I don't get lost._  
  
Karl picks up his phone and it unlocks with his face. His finger slides over to the Google Maps app and he clicks on it. The app opens to directions already entered in. His eyes widen and he looks out through the car windows. He scans the neighborhood street.  
  
_I didn't do that._  
  
He looks down to his phone and shrugs.  
  
_The name of the place is correct, what could go wrong?_  
  
He presses the start button.  
  
A spinning circle appears in the corner as the app retrieves the directions. The route loads and the drive is 45 minutes. Karl smiles and his stomach fills with butterflies. His chest explodes with excitement.  
  
_Just like in Sapnap's favorite song. Oh God, I can't wait to see him today._  
  
Karl ignores the recent memory of the phone call, and his mind flashes back to the mellow car ride.  
  
_Sapnap's smile. His deep, smooth voice singing," If it's a seven hour flight or a forty-five minute drive."_  
  
Karl gently shakes his head while smiling. He lightly exhales as he shifts the car from park to drive.  
  
_Here we go._  
  
—  
  
As he is driving down the busy road, his thumbs tap the steering wheel. His left leg starts to bounce up and down. An anxious feeling forms deep in his chest. He reaches over and turns on the radio in attempt to distract his mind from what is to come. Tick Tock by Joji is playing on the radio. A sly smile spreads across his face as he bops his head to the music, mouthing the words.  
  
**As time keeps slipping away...**  
  
His eyes fall to the side of the road and he sees a Dunkin Donuts. His eyebrows raise and he looks at the clock on his car's dusty dashboard.  
  
_A little pit stop doesn't hurt anyone. I have time._  
  
Karl's hands twist the wheel as he turns into the Dunkin Donuts parking lot. His car slowly pulls up to the menu. His eyes scan the menu searching for what he wants. As he is looking at the options, he realizes that the butterflies in his stomach are so intense that he doesn't want to eat anything.  
  
_I should at least get something to drink. How about a medium iced coffee?_  
  
As soon as he comes to the decision of an iced coffee, a light, softly spoken voice speaks through the drive through intercom.  
  
"Hi, welcome to Dunkin Donuts. What can I get you?"  
  
"Hi, I'll take a medium iced coffee, please," Karl's voice cracks as he speaks.  
  
He squeezes his face cringing at his voice. The girl giggles.  
  
"You're cute. Is that all?"  
  
Karl's eyebrows raise and he freezes.  
  
"I- uh- yeah," he stutters.  
  
"That will be $2.49. Please pull up to the next window."  
  
His cheeks are as red as a rose when he arrives at the window. His face lights up as the window slides open.  
  
"Your total is $2.49," a croaky, male voice says.  
  
Instead of a beautiful girl, a tall, older man is standing at the window. An expression of disgust spreads across Karl’s face. He realizes that he made the face and quickly recovers by handing the man the money. Karl looks forward.  
  
"Here's your change," the man says.  
  
"Keep it," Karl says while still looking forward.  
  
He tenses his face as he waits for the car in front of him to leave. The window slides close.  
  
_Oh my God._  
  
He pulls up to the next window, and his face is redder than before.  
  
_What the honk._  
  
The window slides open and he grabs the drink without making eye contact. He places the drink in the cup holder next to him, and he pulls into a parking spot to the right of the drive through. He shifts the car into park.  
  
Karl grips the rough, leather steering wheel and places his forehead against it. His knuckles are turning bright white because he is grabbing the wheel so hard. His cheeks are burning red. He takes a deep breath. He brings his hands to his face, searching for relief from the burning heat. His hands feel like ice on his face. He leans back into his seat and rubs his face. His left hand drops to his lap and his right hand rests on his forehead.  
  
He looks up at the rear view mirror. Sapnap's face is reflecting in the mirror, showing him behind Karl, sitting in the backseat. Karl flinches and his right arm drops to his waist. He quickly turns around, but the rest of the car is empty. His eyes dart back to the mirror and his heart is racing. Sapnap is still there, smirking behind him.  
  
"Sapnap? What are you doing here?" Karl asks breathlessly.  
  
"Hi, Karl" Sapnap replies, his voice low and smooth.  
  
"How do you keep doing that? Why do you always appear in mirrors?" Karl asks panicked with his eyebrows furrowed.  
  
"Are you disappointed, Karl?" Sapnap questions while tilting his head to the side. His voice still slow and deep.  
  
Karl pauses and inhales quietly.  
  
"No, but I just want to know why I always see you."  
  
"That's a question you're going to have to ask yourself. You want me here, right?" Sapnap questions while raising his eyebrows and lifting his head.  
  
Without hesitation Karl says, "Yes, yes, of course I do. I like seeing your face."  
  
"Good. You have your answer. If you'd hurry up you could see me in person," Sapnap's voice turns into a whisper and he leans closer to Karl, "See my face and emotions real and raw. Trace my skin like you've always wanted to."  
  
The butterfly feeling in his stomach intensifies and a tingling feeling starts below his stomach. Karl's eyelids flutter and he inhales as he tries to keep the eye contact with Sapnap in the mirror. Sapnap's hand comes into the mirror's reflection.  
  
Karl looks down from the mirror exhaling.  
  
_Not again, Karl._  
  
He puts the car in reverse. He backs up out of the parking spot and leaves the Dunkin Donuts parking lot. He turns onto the road he was originally on. He continues driving on the smooth road, listening to the directions as the mechanical voice reads them out loud.  
  
He passes through two green lights. When he is about to reach a third light, the directions tell him to take a turn onto a secluded dirt road lined with trees. Concern fills Karl’s head.  
  
_I'm not too sure about this, but I have no idea where this place is. I might as well listen._  
  
Karl turns onto the road and he drives for about 5 minutes. As he drives further down the abandoned road, more and more trees fill the area around him. His eyes follow the dirt road and he notices tire tracks.  
  
_Thank God I'm not the first one who has driven on this path._  
  
Karl looks around at the area surrounding his car, and all he sees is trees. He drives for about two minutes. Suddenly, his eyes are blinded by a ray of sunshine peaking out from an opening in the trees. He squints his eyes looking at what is in the opening. He sees a vast structure in the distance. His brain processes that the giant structure is a mansion surrounded by metal gates.  
  
_Woah. That’s so cool._  
  
The mechanical voice calls out and tells him to turn. He turns onto a small and narrow gravel path that leads him in the direction of the mansion. He hears the small rocks crush underneath his car's tires. The path is soon cut off by a giant metal gate and his car is forced to stop. Before his car can come to a complete stop, the gates open. He pauses for a moment.  
  
_This is really happening._  
  
Karl drives down the bumpy path. As he drives further down the path, it slowly expands. Karl can see the entirety of the mansion as it comes into view.  
  
_Oh, wow. This place looks old._  
  
The path opens up to smooth, level pavement that has a few cars on it. Karl’s heart skips a beat.  
  
_Sapnap?_  
  
Karl parks his car next to the clutter of cars. His hand moves the gear stick to park. He powers off the radio and turns the key so the car shuts down. He pulls the keys out of the ignition and places the cloth lanyard around his neck. His right hand picks his phone up out of the cup holder and he places it in his pocket. He looks at his iced coffee.  
  
_I probably won't drink it. I can barely keep down the butterflies in my stomach._  
  
He decides to leave it in the car. His left hand pushes the car door handle and the door opens. He steps out of the car and slams the door shut.  
  
A familiar, calming voice shouts out, "Karl?"  
  
Karl turns around and his crystal blue eyes fall into the kind gaze of Sapnap. His eyes light up as his brain recognizes the face he admires the most. He slowly inhales and his whole body feels as if it is being lifted.  
  
_The way the sun hits his eyes and makes them glow. His brown hair taking a golden shade in the sunshine._  
  
Karl's eyes slowly fall down Sapnap's body. Sapnap is wearing a white hoodie, the exact one he was wearing in Karl's vision. He is wearing dark colored jeans with white shoes.  
  
_How is his body so perfect. Everything about him is beautiful. I don't care and won't care about what others say. He is everything I want, everything I need. I just want him to be mine so only I can trace every inch of his skin._  
  
Karl quickly looks up as Sapnap is coming closer.  
  
"Sapnap," Karl says with a huge smile spread across his face.  
  
"Dude, why didn’t you tell me you were coming here?" Sapnap's voice raises as he walks over to Karl with open arms.  
  
Karl freezes with a smile on his face. His face turns a shade of red that has never been seen before. Karl's breathing increases. Sapnap is walking towards him with a warm smile on his face. Sapnap's hair is blowing lightly in the wind. Karl stares at Sapnap with total admiration.  
  
_Shit, he’s so pretty._  
  
The rest of the world disappears. It is just Karl and Sapnap. Karl has fallen in so deep that the butterflies could never fly down this far. Face to face with the one he admires the most, yet he doesn't feel nervous. He feels comforted.  
  
_Damn, I've fallen hard._  
  
Sapnap’s arms curl around his shoulders. Karl can feel Sapnap's arm muscles press against his body. Karl feels the warm embrace that he has been missing. Karl lifts his arms and wraps them around Sapnap’s waist. His right hand overlaps his left as his arms rest against Sapnap’s back. He lightly squeezes his arms against Sapnap. He rests his head on Sapnap’s left shoulder. Sapnap’s bearded jaw presses against the side of Karl’s head. They stand there for a few seconds.  
  
_My missing puzzle piece._  
  
While they are standing there, Karl closes his eyes trying to tame a burning feeling starting in his body. The burning feeling starts to spread. The feeling reminds him of when he was laying in bed after his stream. His mind flashes back to the intense pressure and himself grabbing his navy blue sheets. Karl tries to push away the thoughts.  
  
_I wonder what Sapnap would look like next to me, on my sheets._  
  
_Stop._  
  
_I wonder what he would look like grabbing those sheets._  
  
_Karl, why._  
  
_I wonder what he would look like grabbing those sheets with my hand underneath his._  
  
Karl tenses his face and lightly exhales. Sapnap starts to pull away, but Karl doesn’t want to leave his embrace. Karl lets go, despite the burning hunger for Sapnap’s touch. Karl instantly looks to the ground. He prays Sapnap didn't hear or see anything. After a short pause, Sapnap speaks.  
  
"Well, are you going to answer my question?"  
  
Karl looks up at Sapnap. He notices the inquisitive look in Sapnap’s eyes.  
  
Karl breaks the eye contact with Sapnap, looking around nervously saying, "Oh, yeah, right, I was going to, but I forgot."  
  
Sapnap laughs and replies, "How did you forget Karl? You have the best memory ever."  
  
Karl fakes a laugh.  
  
"I don’t know. A lot has been on my mind," Karl says as his hand brushes his hair.  
  
Sapnap lightly exhales and looks to the ground. Karl’s eyes are met by Sapnap’s again.  
  
They both pause for a moment. Karl's eyes are lost in Sapnap's.  
  
_I can almost see into his soul. See the memories, the emotions. I can see him._  
  
Karl gulps as Sapnap opens his mouth to speak again.  
  
"Do you know who the host is?" Sapnap asks.  
  
Karl hesitates. His head turns slightly to the side and he breaks the eye contact with Sapnap. His face is still bright red, but it now feels like it is on fire. He bites his lip.  
  
_Fuck._  
  
"I can read you like a book, Karl. I know exactly what you’re thinking. Your silence speaks volumes. Why didn’t you tell me?"  
  
Karl's tongue traces his teeth.  
  
_Oh, if only you knew what I was really thinking. It would be too much for you to handle._  
  
Karl raises his eyebrows and exhales. He looks up to Sapnap and he sees the curiosity in Sapnap’s pinched eyes.  
  
Karl says slowly, "I was worried about what you would think."  
  
Sapnap’s expression makes Karl speechless.  
  
_Oh._  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the support! I really appreciate all the comments, kudos, bookmarks, etc!


	5. I'm the Host

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl talks to Sapnap but their conversation takes an unexpected turn, resulting in awkward tension between them. More people arrive at the mansion, ready to start the exciting Love or Host.

Sapnap's face is coated with a look of disgust that Karl has never seen before. His eyebrows are pinched together creating creasing lines in his forehead. His lips are parted open and his jaw has fallen. Sapnap's muscles are tensed and they have not relaxed since Karl admitted what has been on his mind. A fresh wound forms on Karl's heart. A dagger pierced into his chest by the one he trusted most. The wound burns deep in his chest. A sickening pit forms in Karl's stomach. Sapnap's complete flip of emotion feels like a cold breeze passing through Karl's body, chilling his bones. The world around Karl starts to fade. Time is frozen. Silence engulfs the atmosphere around Karl's world that is filled with Sapnap. Karl attempts to break through the exosphere, hoping to escape the ear-splitting silence.  
  
"I, uh-" Karl begins to say but is interrupted.  
  
"Why the hell would you care about what I say? I don't even care about what I say half of the time," Sapnap says with confusion and anger found in his voice.  
  
To Karl, the world is moving in slow motion.  
  
"Um, well you, um," Karl stutters his words searching through the pain in his heart and head for an answer.  
  
"Well I, what? You can't just spew stupid shit out of your mouth and not expect me to question it," Sapnap says sternly with hostile tone.  
  
Karl steps back astonished by the anger in Sapnap. Karl's heart rate elevates as Sapnap's voice becomes louder and angrier.  
  
"Stupid shit? What are you talking about Sapnap?"  
  
"You know what I'm talking about," Sapnap says without breaking eye contact.  
  
Karl is stunned by the sudden change of behavior in him. A look of disturbance flashes over Karl's face, the look caused by their unnerving conversation. The intense eye contact from Sapnap intimidates Karl and he looks away from Sapnap.  
  
"No, I really don't know what you're talking about. Why are you so upset? What is your problem?" Karl says emphasizing each sentence.  
  
His head is spinning in circles.  
  
"What is my problem? Are you serious right now? You have been so weird with me recently."  
  
Karl bites his bottom lip and exhales. He looks into Sapnap's eyes. Sapnap's eyes are pinched close together. The kind gaze that was there before is absent. The look full of pure bliss has changed into a withering stare. A light full of happiness and hope has been burned out. Karl's heart drops to his stomach.  
  
After a short pause Karl says, "I haven't been weird with you."  
  
"Oh really? What do you call the suddenly saying my name in phone calls? Or should I say practically moaning my name?"  
  
Blood rushes to Karl's face. The memory of his lips uttering Sapnap's name in a breathy gasp crawls into his conscience. The memory is followed by another. Sapnap questioning why Karl keeps saying his name.  
  
_I was so stupid. How did I let that happen?_  
  
"That's not true. I don't do that."  
  
"What do you call the getting all serious when I'm jokingly flirting? It's all a joke Karl. I would never actually have feelings for who I'm joking with."  
  
Karl's jaw clenches. Anger flows through his veins, burning his skin every inch it spreads.  
  
"So it's all a joke to you?"  
  
"Yeah, it is. I wouldn't have feelings for a guy, it's all made up. Why do you care so much anyways?"  
  
Karl's heart shatters.  
  
_Sapnap is like a bed full of warm blankets. In the moment, you don't realize everything you have. But the second it is gone, you want it back more than anything. He's the little moments you don't think about initially, but when you do, it consumes your mind completely. He's an addicting drug that you get hooked on with one hit. He's the peace at the end of a happy movie that came together nicely, but you still want more. You need more. Sometimes it's hard to picture my life with him, but it's even harder to picture it without him. He touched my soul without ever touching my skin. I just want to be his, but he doesn't feel the same way. Maybe in another life._  
  
Karl looks to the ground and his eyes fill with tears. He swallows trying to stop himself from getting choked up. Sapnap continues talking.  
  
"I don't even know why I'm here, considering you're the host. I thought it was going to be someone else. God, I feel so stupid. I was sitting there, on the phone call, talking about the Love or Host, and you just sat there. You sat there and you didn't tell me you were the host. You didn't think to say, Oh hey Nick I'm the fucking host. Why Karl? Why do you always mess with my head?"  
  
Karl looks back up at Sapnap, still blinking away tears. His mind is running a hundred miles per hour. He gulps.  
  
"I mess with your head? How?" Karl replies with his eyebrows pinched trying to collect himself.  
  
A softness fills Sapnap's face. His voice becomes quieter and he looks to the ground.  
  
"You're always fucking with me. Making me think..." Sapnap's voice slowly trails off.  
  
"What do I make you think, Sapnap?"  
  
Karl tries to soften his voice hoping to reach a soft part in Sapnap’s soul. Karl’s heart beats faster at every word Sapnap says.  
  
"It doesn't matter."  
  
"Well yeah, if I mess with your head, I want to know why I do."  
  
"You don't. I don't know why I said that," Sapnap's voice is stern and quiet.  
  
Their conversation falls quiet. Karl quietly sighs.  
  
_Am I really in his head?_  
  
Sapnap breaks the silence.  
  
"Whatever, it doesn't matter. Austin wants me to be here and I don’t want to disappoint him. I'll see you in there."  
  
Sapnap turns around and storms off toward the mansion doors.  
  
Karl stands there speechless, watching Sapnap walk away. Karl’s now alone. His world of Sapnap is stuck in an apocalypse, all signs of life has disappeared. His eyelids flutter as he holds back a flood of tears. His attempt to push away tears works to an extent. Raindrops of pain and agony slide down his cheeks. His head is full of hurt, love, and curiosity all at the same time.  
  
_He just screamed and yelled at me, yet I still like him? What is wrong with me?_  
  
Karl looks down at his feet. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.  
  
_All I have to do is make it through one Love or Host. I got this._  
  
His eyes follow the pavement up to the old, brick mansion. Growing vines cover the windows and walls, adding to the old feel. A single vine catches his attention. The vine travels from one window to right above the mansion’s double doors.  
  
_I wonder what secrets this mansion holds behind its walls._  
  
_I wonder what secrets Sapnap could be holding._  
  
Karl pauses and collects himself. He wipes the fallen tears on his face and he waits for his heart beat to return to normal. He places a fake smile on his face, creating a facade. As he steps toward the mansion, he hears the metal gates open and a car approach. He turns around as the car comes closer. He tries to look through the car’s windows and see who is in the car. He instantly notices that Dream is the one in the driver’s seat. Dream's face lights up as they make eye contact. Karl waves to him as Dream parks his car next to Karl's. Karl half heartedly smiles as Dream gets out of the car and slams the door shut.  
  
"Hey Dream," Karl says, his voice missing a cheerfulness that was once there.  
  
"Hi Karl! I didn't know you were going to be here," Dream replies with a huge smile spread across his face.  
  
"I could say the same for you. I was just about to head in. So far, I have only seen Sapnap."  
  
"Yeah, he told me he was coming here. George also told me he was coming, and he wanted to walk in with me."  
  
_Did Sapnap tell everyone in the whole wide world?_  
  
"Awesome," Karl replies nodding.  
  
"Wow, this place is really old," Dream says looking around.  
  
"Yeah, it gives me bad vibes."  
  
Dream lets out a loud laugh.  
  
"Well, I want to have a look around before it starts, but have fun waiting for George," Karl says with a small smile.  
  
"Oh, I will," Dream says winking.  
  
Karl turns around and as soon as his face is out of Dream's sight, a bewildered look comes over his face.  
  
_Did he just wink?_  
  
"Karl, wait," Dream calls out.  
  
Karl swings back around saying, "Yes?"  
  
"Do you know who the host is? Austin usually tells us but I've heard nothing."  
  
"Um, I have no idea," Karl replies while shaking his head and raising his arms in a W shape.  
  
"Okay. I don't think it's George because he probably would have told me. We talked about it so many times I would be surprised if he hid it from me," Dream says.  
  
Karl looks to the ground.  
  
"Right. I'll see you in there," Karl says shyly.  
  
"See ya," Dream says leaning against his car.  
  
Karl turns back around to the mansion. He continues to look at the ground as he walks to the mansion, his eyes tracing the cracks in the pavement. He stops right before the wood doors.  
  
_I'm so nervous._  
  
Karl gently presses his hand on the door, and the smooth wood door opens with the small momentum of his hand. He steps into the mansion, his bravery leading the way. The walls expand to a medium sized room. A cold breeze lightly falls on the nape of his neck. He closes the door behind himself, sheltering the quiet room from the loud whispers of the wind. The floor supporting his body weight is embellished with a checkered wood pattern. The walls containing the serene air are lined with a dark oak. Areas of the dark oak are garnished with round patterns, giving the room a Gothic interior design. Open spaces on the walls are filled with old paintings that add to the aged feeling of the quaint mansion. Dusty wood furniture lies scattered around the room. Desks, medium sized tables, and cabinets lie pressed against the walls. In the middle of the room is a couch, two chairs, and two small tables. The couch is positioned in the center of the room, drawing the attention of newcomers to the rich, velvet fabric. The two chairs are sitting diagonally from the couch, appealing to those who fancy a quick seat. The tables are in between the chairs and the couch. Sunlight is shining on the furniture through a window high on the wall behind Karl, highlighting the faded emerald color of the couch and chair seating covers.  
  
There are three doors in the room in front of him, calling his name. Each door is blended into the three separate walls. Karl, unknowing of what could come, walks deeper into the room. As he stands underneath the heat that the sunlight is creating, he hears faint laughter muffled by the door on the right. The heat brought by the sun shining through the window ignites a candle in his soul. A yearning spirit calls him to the door, and he doesn't decline. He reaches for the silver doorknob, the burning fire of curiosity melting his skin. He grabs the cold doorknob, the icy touch taming the spreading warmth. With a firm push the door swings open, and his vision is greeted by an unexpected sight. His curiosity lead him to believe that something unexpectedly amazing was waiting for him behind the door. His high expectations are met with a room that does nothing but bring an old nostalgic feeling to his head. An almost exact match of the previous room rests dusty and barely touched.  
  
The small room brings a peaceful feeling. Karl's senses inform him of a deeper, hidden feeling in the room. The walls are lined with old bookshelves that tell stories of tales long before the mansion was created. The checkered wood pattern on the floor creeps into this room, covering every inch of it. Across the room from where Karl is standing, a light oak fireplace is indented in the wall. A burning smell is emitting from the fireplace. The fire burning creates a reminiscing feeling aching for new memories to take ablaze. The same furniture in the previous room repeats in the new room he's standing in. Instead of the couch, two chairs, and two tables in the center of the room, two rows of four velvet chairs are lined up in a horizontal line next to each other. Sapnap, Quackity, and Niki are sitting in the first row of chairs. Quackity and Niki's faces light up as Karl enters the room. Sapnap looks over at Karl, but he quickly looks down after recognizing him.  
  
"Hi Karl," Niki says with a smile spread across her face.  
  
"Hey," Quackity warmly greets.  
  
"Hi guys," Karl replies fondly.  
  
"I'm guessing this is where we are supposed to be. Considering there are chairs lined up in the middle of the room," Quackity says laughing.  
  
Niki bursts out laughing. Karl joins in the uproar of laughter. Sapnap continues to sit there, his eyes glued to the ground. Sapnap is sitting on the left, at the end, and Quackity is to his left. Niki is sitting on the end, a seat over from Quackity, leaving an empty space between them. Karl walks over to the collection of chairs and sits in between Niki and Quackity.  
  
"Do you guys have any idea who is coming? Or who the host could be?" Niki asks turning toward Karl.  
  
Karl turns to look at Niki.  
  
Karl says, "I saw Dream in the parking lot. He said he was waiting for George to arrive. He doesn't think George is the host and it sounds like he isn't the host either."  
  
"That's interesting Karl. Care to share what you told me?" Sapnap coldly says.  
  
"What is he talking about?" Quackity questions looking in Karl's direction.  
  
Karl looks at the ground in front of him.  
  
"Um, you see-"  
  
Karl is interrupted by Dream and George walking into the room. Karl notices Dream's hand is subtly touching George's lower back as George walks in front of Dream through the doorway. Karl and Dream make direct eye contact and Dream's hand falls from George's back. Karl raises his eyebrows at him and Dream breaks the eye contact.  
  
"Hey guys," George says with a wide grin.  
  
The room fills with warm greetings. Unlike when Karl walked in, Sapnap greets Dream and George. Karl's heart aches as he watches a smile form on Sapnap's face.  
  
_He doesn't care about me._  
  
Karl's smile slowly fades from his face, but he keeps a neutral expression. Dream and George walk past Sapnap, and they sit behind him in the second row.  
  
"I'm surprised Austin isn't here," Dream says.  
  
"Yeah, it's kinda weird," Quackity says slowly.  
  
An awkward tension coats the room.  
  
_I really hope they can't sense the awkwardness between Sapnap and I._  
  
"I guess we'll have to wait," Niki replies after a short silence.  
  
Minx and Wilbur walk into the room.  
  
"Hey everyone," they say with smiles on their faces.  
  
Silence follows. Karl's eyes shift nervously around the room.  
  
"Did somebody's fucking dog die?" Minx asks.  
  
Quackity starts laughing, saying, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm just chillin in Cedar Rapids."  
  
The room explodes with laughter and comments.  
  
"Oh my God, Quackity," George says laughing.  
  
"You're so stupid," Karl saying giggling, turning toward him.  
  
The tension in the room has disappeared. Wilbur and Minx walk over to the chairs, sitting in the remaining two next to George.  
  
_Quackity really knows how to brighten up a room. He's a ball of sunshine everywhere he goes._  
  
"What do we do now? Austin's nowhere to be found," Wilbur says.  
  
"Well who's the host? They should know something," Niki says.  
  
"Even if they did know something they probably wouldn't say anything. Don't you agree, Karl?" Sapnap callously says.  
  
"What is he talking about, Karl?" George asks.  
  
Karl takes a deep breath and sighs. He bites his lip and looks to the ground.  
  
"I'm the host."  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I was editing this I forgot to hit save so half of it was deleted, but I went through it all again while listening to Alec Benjamin. (his songs are so good)
> 
> I made a twitter! Heat_wavess


	6. Catching Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karl wishes to go back to before arriving at the Love or Host. A memory surfaces in his head, reminding him of the pure bliss he used to feel with Sapnap.

"Wait, are you serious Karl?" George asks with wrinkles forming on his forehead from his pinched eyebrows.  
  
Murmurs of surprise spread throughout the room like wildfire. A light airy tone of shock burns in his ears as he hears every word emitted from his friends’ mouths. The mixed sounds full of different emotions bounce around in his ear drums. Karl’s heart is sending violent ruptures through his chest as he listens to the different reactions. Some lightly gasp, some are questioning him, and some are sitting silently still. Sapnap is sitting still, looking at the reactions of the others in the room. Karl stares at Sapnap, but Sapnap doesn’t look at him. Karl’s hands tremble. Questions rise into the air and rest like clouds. Fluffy, white clouds lie over his friends' heads, shining sunlight onto their faces. Above Karl's head is a dark grey cloud rumbling with thunder and strikes of lightning every few seconds. The lightning strikes send nervous electricity through his spine. Angst courses through his veins as his anxiety spikes from the sudden power surge. His breathing is dry and raspy as the air quickly echoes off of the walls of his lungs. The storm of feelings above his head is broken by a voice calling out to Karl.  
  
"Karl, I'm confused. Why am I here and why is it not only girls?" Dream says clearly and slowly.  
  
The eager voices come to a quiet stop as Dream is speaking. An uncomfortable silence flows through the stuffy room. The attention of everyone there is drawn to Karl. Karl feels like a fish in a glass bowl, pressured by each pair of watchful eyes. He gulps and a rush of nervousness slides down the back of his throat.  
  
After a lengthy pause Karl replies sheepishly, "I'm confused too. I wasn't sure who was going to be here."  
  
"You didn't even tell me you were coming here. Karl, I told you everything I knew and you told me nothing," Sapnap says grimly.  
  
Karl's eyes cascade to the ground as he feels his soul falling through the floor. His soul feels painfully empty trapped in a never ending Purgatory, unsure of the fate he is hoping for. He either falls deeper in the ocean drowning, or he climbs out of the volcano rising with lava burning his heels.  
  
"I didn't keep anything from you. You never asked," Karl snaps back glaring into Sapnap's eyes.  
  
Drowning deeper it is.  
  
"You never indicated that there was a chance of you being here. If there was even a slight hint of it, I would of asked." Sapnap's voice increases in volume after each sentence he says.  
  
Sapnap returns the cold look.  
  
"I started to talk to you about my invitation but I stopped myself. Did you not hear any of that?" Karl says with a defensive wall behind each word.  
  
"You mumble so many things and when I ask you to repeat yourself, you don't. I've learned to block out your stupid love poems that you say quietly."  
  
A flame ignites on Karl's tongue. His voice raises. Hatred runs mad in his mind.  
  
"Are you serious? I don't do that. You're losing your mind. You're so full of yourself, you think that I'm obsessed with you. I never think about you, Sapnap. You mean nothing to me."  
  
Sapnap's face falls and his voice goes quiet. Hurt peeks through Sapnap's eyes. Sapnap shifts his body and his eyes painfully pull away from Karl. Anger that rushed through Karl bursts through his skin spilling onto the floor, leaving an emotionless shell resting in his seat.  
  
"Sapnap, I-" Karl emits heartbroken.  
  
He pauses, silence slipping out of his mouth. Guilt troubles his head feeding the need for Sapnap more. The need to run over to Sapnap's protective embrace, slide his head into the crook of Sapnap's neck, and apologize for everything he has said. He strives to escape the current situation and run tirelessly away, not returning until the memory is erased from everyone's head. He wishes he could make all of the tension between them disappear with the simple words of _I'm sorry_. The simple words that have so much meaning behind them, but many say them carelessly. He wishes to have all of the fights fade away into the silence of the night, where no street lamp could illuminate their troubles.  
  
He wishes to experience the calming end of a storm where all of the nervousness fades away, and every unreasonable worry leaves as you wish to see the rain falling one more time. That moment of reflecting back on the melancholy storm, thankful that everything is okay and you got through it. He wishes that everything would be resolved and that they can forgive and forget their recent fights. Karl wishes to continue the exciting and easy moments of having a crush. The wondering if Sapnap's feelings are reciprocated, as Karl's mind is influenced by a small pinch of hope that Sapnap likes him back. To Karl, the odds of Sapnap liking him back are slim.  
  
_What's the point of me liking him anymore. He's never going to think of me the same way._  
  
Karl wishes to go back to when they were best friends. Only best friends. No blooming feelings of love, no explosive emotions spiraling all around them, no drama. All smooth sailing, the only problems being caused by video games.  
  
_How could I ever fix this?_  
  
Karl’s heart wrenches as the emotion filled air of the room takes a stagnant pose. No one has said anything since Karl snapped at Sapnap. The fiery touch on his tongue has spread to his face, turning his cheeks bright red. His face burns as bad as his words burned Sapnap. A deep feeling of regret trickles down his spine. Grief climbs into his head, seeping through the walls of his brain. Thoughts of remorse, mixed with thoughts of pure bliss, wander recklessly around his mind. A memory that was recently pushed into a corner of his head is brought to the front of his conscience. A giant canvas fills the space around him, painting an almost recognizable picture. The walls blur around him as he shifts to a new surrounding. Karl blinks and he's standing in a room.  
  
A relaxing feeling takes control of the room. Tan walls enclose him in the small room, holding him in a state of peace. Karl's back is pressed against a white door as he faces the interior of the room. His eyes search the room, taking in every detail, trying to piece together where he is. A lamp stands in a corner, lighting up the room. A computer set up with a microphone and webcam lies lifeless pressed against the wall. A window sits in front of the computer set up. His eyes fall from the window and they drift to a nearby corner. A bed with messed up grey covers sits in the corner. A click of realization happens when Karl's eyes fixate on the bed sheets.  
  
_Paris bed sheets. Sapnap's room._  
  
Karl's startled by a figure suddenly sitting on the bed. It's himself. He observes the other Karl sitting on the bed, remembering the exact moment.  
  
_The first time we hung out together in person... about a month ago._  
  
Past Karl is on his phone scrolling through Tiktok. His leg is bouncing up and down and his lips are dry from being picked at constantly.  
  
_Gosh, the nerves I felt the entire time. Everything is so different online compared to in person. The boldness through the phone fades away, surfacing the awkwardness hidden by the phone confidence._  
  
Karl slowly steps to the side following the wall to the right of the door. His shuffling is slow and cautious.  
  
_Please don't see me, please don't see me._  
  
A rumble at the door diverts past Karl's attention. Past Karl sits up taller, adjusting the sweatshirt he is wearing. Karl lightly exhales laughing at his nervous tendencies. The door swings open and Sapnap walks in. Sapnap's holding a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. He sits down next to Karl on the bed and places the strawberries between them.  
  
"So, I checked the fridge and saw these in there." Sapnap pushes the plate closer to Karl. "I couldn't find any energy drinks, but I hope this replaces it."  
  
Past Karl giggles, placing his sweatshirt covered hand over his mouth. His giggle is long and bubbly. Current Karl notices something he's never seen before. As past Karl is laughing looking down at the strawberries, Sapnap is staring into his eyes, stuck in a silent smile. Past Karl looks back up at Sapnap and Sapnap audibly laughs.  
  
_Has he always had a delayed laugh? I've never noticed._  
  
"It is totally fine. I love chocolate," past Karl says with a smile spread widely across his face.  
  
"Awesome," Sapnap replies, his eyes glancing up and down Karl.  
  
"May I?" Karl asks, his hand pointing toward the strawberries resting on the bed.  
  
"Go for it," Sapnap says watching Karl grab a strawberry.  
  
As Karl is biting into the strawberry, Sapnap grabs a strawberry for himself. Sapnap's eyes glance back up at Karl. Karl is chewing the strawberry, his eyes lighting up from the sweet taste. Sapnap's eyes fall to Karl's lips.  
  
"You have something right there." Sapnap’s hand reaches over to Karl's chin.  
  
Sapnap's fingers rest on the side of Karl's jaw, holding it gently. Sapnap's thumb brushes against the chocolate smeared close to his lip. Karl's eyes fall into Sapnap's. His emerald green eyes pull Karl into the forest of his soul. A comforting place full of promise and wonder. Current Karl remembers everything he thought to himself in the moment.  
  
_"Sapnap's a world full of stars that light up the night sky, drawing observant eyes to the constellations lined up above. He's the beauty of a sunrise, radiating colors of a new hope, shining light into dark corners. A hopeful promise full of a lifetime of happiness."_  
  
Karl could see it then. A beautiful house overlooking a lake. Sunlight glistening on the water. A nice, sunny, warm day. Two wooden chairs sitting side by side on the deck of the house. Karl sitting in the chair on the left, Sapnap sitting on the right. Karl’s right hand extended out to Sapnap as Sapnap holds it with his left. Sapnap’s thumb tracing over the base of Karl’s thumb. A calm breeze lightly lifting parts of their hair. A glass full of dark red wine sitting on the left armrest of Karl’s chair. A peaceful moment full of shared looks between the two as they watch the birds fly and waves crash. Aside from the sound of the birds squawking and waves rushing, a silence sits with them. A silence consumed of unspoken delight shared mutually between the two. Karl craved the future moments full of ecstasy with Sapnap.  
  
_"I think I'm catching feelings."_  
  
Sapnap's hand falls from Karl's face. Karl's face flushes from Sapnap's igniting touch. Karl turns his head away from Sapnap, looking down into his lap. He exhales quietly. Current Karl remembers the tingling thrill Sapnap's touch sent through his body.  
  
_I don’t think I’ll ever forget that moment._  
  
"I've been meaning to ask you something," Sapnap says.  
  
Past Karl looks back up at Sapnap. The memory of the angst felt deep in his chest surfaces in his head. Current Karl's still pressed against the wall, watching the interaction of his past self with Sapnap.  
  
"Yes?" past Karl says anxiously anticipating Sapnap's next move.  
  
"You've never been in a relationship, right?"  
  
Past Karl looks down and sighs.  
  
"Yeah, why do you ask?"  
  
"Why..." Sapnap pauses, "Why is that?"  
  
Past Karl looks back up at Sapnap.  
  
"Well, no one has ever liked me like that."  
  
Sapnap's face scrunches.  
  
"I highly doubt that."  
  
"Really? What makes you say that?" Karl asks.  
  
Sapnap's eyes shift to across the room.  
  
"You're awesome. Who wouldn’t want to date you?" Sapnap says slowly.  
  
Past Karl's face lights up with a shining smile.  
  
_That day is when I really fell for him. It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about losing him._  
  
With a light blink, the room's gone. The ecstasy of falling in love disappears. The dreadful despair returns.  
  
_Take me back to that night when I was happy._  
  
Karl’s sitting in the chair he was previously in. The unsettling feeling that coated the room makes his anxiety worse. A new ominous tone forms.  
  
_Happiness is naive. I wish I was naive._  
  
A pain in his side forms as a voice shatters the silence.  
  
"Karl, I have to ask. Are you- ya know," Niki says with her voice beginning to trail off, "sweater weather?"  
  
"I’m just...confused," Karl says hesitantly watching each word he mutters.  
  
"Like confused, confused?" Quackity asks with his eyebrows raised.  
  
"No, not in that way. I don’t know-" Karl is interrupted by a sharp sound.  
  
A piercing, static ring shoots into the air around them. Karl flinches.  
  
A male, disembodied voice calls out, "Welcome girls, and boys, to Love or Host."  
  
The voice has a low, unrecognizable sound to it, along with an eerie rasp.  
  
_This is definitely not Austin's voice._  
  
"Where the hell is that coming from," Minx shouts over the blaring sound.  
  
Karl's eyes fly across the walls and ceilings of the room, trying to process where it is located.  
  
"God, it hurts my ears," George whines placing his hands over his ears.  
  
"Who is that? It's so creepy," Niki asks wincing.  
  
Booming laughter flies over the radio static.  
  
"Now, now, it doesn't matter where I am or who I am. All you need to know is the next step. You probably noticed the doors in the other room. You'll know what to do next."  
  
The voice fades.  
  
_Why is he addressing us as" you"?_  
  
"That’s not Austin’s voice," George says slowly.  
  
"Well, yeah, unless he turned into a fucking goblin," Quackity says.  
  
"I get a really bad feeling from this," Niki says with a slight shake in her voice.  
  
"I'm sure we will be fine," Wilbur says turning to Niki.  
  
"Maybe Austin is waiting for us in the other room? Who was the first one to arrive?" Dream asks.  
  
"Quackity and I arrived here at the same time, later followed by Sapnap and Karl. We came in here because this room was the only one with an open door," Niki says.  
  
"Did you see anyone coming in or out?" George asks.  
  
"No, not one person. There were no cars too. We were hesitant to trust it, but the invite from Austin said it was here," Quackity replies.  
  
Sapnap stands up saying, "Well, I have nothing to lose."  
  
"Uh- yeah, you do. Your life?" Niki says concerned.  
  
Sapnap turns to Niki.  
  
"Look, we’re already here in this shit show, if we were gonna die, it would of already happened," Sapnap snaps back.  
  
An expression of shock flies over Niki’s face. Sapnap turns away from her.  
  
"He’s kind of right. Whoever that is, has all of us in one room waiting like sitting ducks," Wilbur says.  
  
"Then let’s go," Sapnap says impatiently waving his arms toward the door.  
  
Karl stands up at the same time as the others. He brushes out his sweatshirt, attempting to release his nervous energy. Their shoes thud into the wood ground as they walk to the door. Wilbur is in the front of the group, despite Sapnap's eager lead. Wilbur stops in the doorway suddenly, Dream nearly crashing into him. Wilbur turns his head sharply to the side, panic filling his eyes as he looks at everyone behind him. The hairs on Karl’s neck stand up, sending goosebumps down his spine.  
  
Wilbur whispers, "Did you hear that?"  
  
"Hear what, Wilbur?" Niki whispers back looking up at Wilbur.  
  
"That crash," Wilbur says staring back into her eyes.  
  
Karl’s heart beats rapidly in his chest.  
  
"Wilbur, what is it?" Quackity says with his voice cracking.  
  
Wilbur's hearty laugh breaks the nervous tension.  
  
Breathlessly wheezing, Wilbur says, "You- you should of seen your faces."  
  
A collective sigh of disappointment and relief falls from everyone's mouths.  
  
"I hate you so much," Karl says with his voice shaky from fear and laughter.  
  
Sapnap pushes through Wilbur standing at the door.  
  
"If you guys are going to fool around, I'll go home," Sapnap says staring down Wilbur with a death glare.  
  
"What's gotten into you?" Dream asks.  
  
"Yeah, it was just a joke," Wilbur replies.  
  
"I want to get this over with. I'm so done with this shit," Sapnap says walking into the sun lit room.  
  
The group walks through the door, following Sapnap. Karl and George are towards the back of the group, exchanging a glance with each other. Their faces remain expressionless, but their eyes tell a long tale. Karl walks through the doorway into the old room. He sees the two untouched doors. Unlike the door that initially drew him in, the remaining doors have an unsettling feeling. Dread flies around his head. The curiosity burned deep in his soul is disinterested in the sinister doors.  
  
"Which door is it? He said we'd know, but I have no idea," Dream says.  
  
The walls in Karl's mind shift as a crashing wave of persuasion drowns the dry sand of his mind. A new feeling of belonging slides out from the under the door, pulling him in. A sense of home. The voices swirling around the room start to muffle. A harmonizing tune seeps out of the door and into him. The melodious sound rings in his ears. His peripheral vision blurs as his central vision intensifies. His eyes lock on the silver door handle as he takes a slow step in the direction of the door. He steps faster, his shoes thudding louder into the checkered wood floor. A dazed look falls over his face, but a powerful desire stirs in his mind. Faded faces come closer to him, but his eyes remain focused. Voices slip into his mind as he is a few steps away from the dark wood door.  
  
**...what the hell is he doing...**  
  
**Is he okay?**  
  
"**Karl, snap out of it,**" a trusting voice says.  
  
The voice pulls him out. Memories rush into his head.  
  
_Sapnap._  
  
Karl looks up to the left. Sapnap is standing next to him, his hand lightly touching the upper part of Karl's back. Karl's eyes plunge into the treasured emerald of Sapnap's eyes. A green, tranquil forest hidden by the outside world. A peaceful place full of secluded moss filled trees, stick covered dark dirt, and limited sunlight peering through the trees, concealing a mellow shed covered in aged vines. A serene scene comforting even the most restless.  
  
When Karl needs to be saved from the suffocating worries of the world, Sapnap is always there. Sapnap rescues him from unreachable points. Karl repeatedly dives down into the deep, dark, depths of his mind, exploring the shipwreck in his head. He is unknowing of the consequences as he slowly loses consciousness, causing the world to fade away. Sapnap saves him and pulls him to the surface as they both gasp for air, Sapnap sacrificing himself for Karl. Sapnap always sees past Karl's surface, digging deep into his soil skin, seeing the real him.  
  
_I want to get under Sapnap’s skin, see him for himself, not for who he may portray._  
  
A disoriented look rests on Karl’s face as he stares at Sapnap. A heat, not produced by his cheeks, radiates on his face. A silky soft touch rests against his cheeks. A touch so delicate, almost invisible. The new diverted attention brought close to his face strikes a match in his wax like soul, the heat melting his insides. Sapnap’s hands are cupping the round edges of his face, holding his attention. Karl’s chin is lifted up with Sapnap’s hands. The world around Karl is still blurred, but a nearsighted focus falls on Sapnap’s face. Sapnap’s eyebrows are pinched and his eyes are submerged in concern.  
  
"Karl, Karl, are you okay? You’re turning bright red," Sapnap says with a rushed voice.  
  
Sapnap holds Karl’s beating red face, cradling his heart ever so fondly. Karl’s raw emotions are bared before Sapnap. Karl takes a shallow, shaky breath.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I-I don’t know what happened," Karl says quickly blinking, trying to clear his head.  
  
"You looked like you were going to pass out. Do you need to sit down?" Sapnap says with his hands falling from Karl’s face.  
  
Karl looks down from Sapnap’s eyes, his vision resting on the middle of Sapnap’s chest.  
  
"No, I think I'm all good now." He looks back up at Sapnap with a slight smile.  
  
"I’m glad you’re okay Karl," Niki says with her voice soft.  
  
Karl’s eyes peel from Sapnap as they shift over to Niki. He sees the gentle smile on her face. He scans the room looking at the others. Faces full of care and compassion comfort Karl’s uneasy feeling.  
  
"I guess we now know what door to go through," Wilbur says laughing.  
  
"Look at Karl, he’s such a leader," George says with a smile.  
  
"Shut up," Karl replies giggling.  
  
"Who wants to go first?" Dream asks while looking at everyone in the room.  
  
"Not it," Sapnap says.  
  
"Oh, now you’re too chicken to go first," Quackity teases.  
  
"Dude, I don’t trust this place, I don’t want to go first anymore," Sapnap replies with his voice slightly raised.  
  
"Fine, I’ll go first," Quackity snaps.  
  
"Stupid bitch," Sapnap mumbles.  
  
Those who heard Sapnap’s sly comment burst out laughing. Quackity catches what he said.  
  
Laughing, Quackity replies, "I fucking hate you."  
  
Sapnap quickly replies, "Oh, you love me and you know it."  
  
Quackity rolls his eyes.  
  
A small spark of jealously ignites in Karl. He exhales attempting to keep his composure. A cold wave pulses down his back.  
  
_Why does he always flirt with Quackity. God, why can’t he flirt with me._  
  
Quackity walks to the door passing Karl. Karl stares at Quackity as he stands in the small space between him and the door. Karl backs up and stands to the right of Sapnap. Quackity grabs the doorknob and he swings the door open. Quackity's face freezes in complete shock.  
  
"What the hell," Quackity says in a hushed whisper.  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for 3.6k hits! I really appreciate everything!
> 
> Also, loved Sam's face reveal today!


	7. It Has Begun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group's met with a mysterious sight as the door opens, and they have no idea what is to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> possible tw: blood is mentioned very briefly

Dark, spider web covered concrete stairs cascade down from the door. Darkness immediately engulfs the top of the stairs. A small, fuzzy, glowing light flickers against the walls at the bottom of the stairs. From what Karl can see, the long stairs lead to a narrow, grey concrete hallway. A chilling breeze pushes off of the solid walls of the staircase. Cracks lay scattered in the aged, untouched walls. The mysterious sight mixed with the new cold sends an intense ripple of goosebumps down Karl's arms. He shudders. The rest of the group slowly gathers closer to Quackity as they peer down at the dense darkness. A blaring warning signal flashes rampantly in Karl's head. He stares blankly into the immersing tunnel.  
  
Karl's head turns to the side, his eyes meeting Sapnap's. Sapnap shares the same concerning look that is filled with fear.  
  
"What the fuck is that?" Wilbur asks with a new terror striking his voice.  
  
"It's like an... underground bunker," George replies slowly.  
  
"Are we supposed to go down there?" Niki asks.  
  
"There's no way in hell I'm going down there," Quackity says backing away from the door.  
  
"You probably would find hell down there," Dream says leaning closer.  
  
"Sorry Karl, but I don't want to do this anymore," Minx says.  
  
"I don't blame you," Karl replies.  
  
"Sapnap, if you still think you have nothing to lose, then go right ahead. You can be first," Dream says.  
  
"Oh, no, no, no, I'm not messing with that anymore. That's some serial killer shit down there," Sapnap says.  
  
"Couldn't we just leave?" George says, "It's not like we're stuck in here."  
  
Wilbur strides to the doors, his dark jacket rustling against his body. He reaches the doors that shelter them from the outside. He places his hand on the door handle. He twists the knob and pushes on the door. It doesn't budge. He lets go of the handle and tries again. He pushes harder on the door causing the wall to rattle. While he is twisting the knob he places his shoulder against the door, adding an extra force to it. He receives the same result. A breath of frustration pushes through his lips.  
  
Through strained movements, Wilbur says, "It's... not... opening."  
  
"Stop screwing with us. We’re not going to fall for it again," Quackity says.  
  
Wilbur shifts his weight off of the right door as he glares at Quackity. He moves over to the left door and he places his hand on the doorknob. He attempts to swing it open. The door stays shut. He begins to push with the same force as before, but once again, he struggles to open it. He crouches a little, adding more pressure to the door.  
  
"I'm not... screwing... with you."  
  
"Wilbur, it's not funny," Niki says.  
  
Wilbur collapses into the door, slightly panting.  
  
He sternly says, "It's not fucking opening."  
  
"Okay, let me try," Quackity says walking to the door.  
  
Wilbur steps back as Quackity places his hand firmly on the doorknob. He turns the knob, but no movement in the door is made. He shoves his body into the door while turning the knob. The door’s stuck. He kicks the door hoping to loosen it. He tries to open it again, but it is to no avail. Quackity slowly turns around looking at the group.  
  
He says in a defeated whisper, "He's not messing with us. He's actually not messing with us. The door won't open."  
  
"Are you serious? We’re actually stuck in here," George says rolling his eyes.  
  
"No, no, I’m not doing this." Dream swiftly walks to a window located to the right of the doors. His eyes follow the window pane as a puzzled look falls over his face. He lifts his bare, right elbow close to his face. With a fast swing full of momentum, he smashes his elbow into the window. The glass remains intact. A roaring holler full of pain and agony escapes from his mouth. His left hand grasps his elbow in an attempt to ease the pain. Blood streams down from his elbow. He tenses up as an expression of a silent scream consumes his face. Shouts of concern flow throughout the room.  
  
"Dream!" Niki shouts.  
  
"Holy shit!" Wilbur shouts.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Minx yells.  
  
"What is wrong with you? Why did you do that?" George questions.  
  
Groaning, Dream says, "I thought I could break the window."  
  
"Looks like the only thing that’s breaking is your elbow," Sapnap says.  
  
Dream removes his hand and extends his elbow. He looks at the blood falling down his arm. He rubs his hand on the sides of his elbow.  
  
"I’m sure I’ll be fine. It hurts, but I’ll live," Dream says.  
  
"We’re already going crazy and we haven’t been here long," George says.  
  
A familiar static shoots through the air. Maniacal laughter quickly follows.  
  
"Not this dickhead," Quackity says with disgust.  
  
"I’m sure you missed me. It appears you’re trying to go through the wrong door. You had it right the first time. Go with your gut. It led you there initially."  
  
After each sentence the voice says, it sounds raspier and raspier.  
  
"Listening to him speak makes me sick," Niki says with disgust spread across her face. "Why should we even listen to him?"  
  
"We have no other way to get out. I’d know," Dream says.  
  
"The doors are locked, the windows appear freaking...bullet proof, and there’s no way that last door leads to the outside. There’s nothing left for us to do," Wilbur says.  
  
"Except for listen to the voice," George sadly says.  
  
"I should go first," Karl says looking to the ground. "I got us into this in the first place."  
  
"Karl, it’s not your fault," Niki says.  
  
"You don’t need to defend me," Karl says looking up at Niki.  
  
"I’m not defending you, I’m being honest. You didn’t know this was going to happen. You didn't even know who was going to be here," Niki says.  
  
"You’re right, but this is still my Love or Host. Whatever happens is on me," Karl says.  
  
Karl steps in front of the door, looking down at the darkness.  
  
The mysterious voice calls out saying, "Ah, the last one is first."  
  
"Why does this dude say the weirdest sentences? What the hell," Sapnap says.  
  
Dream, Quackity, and Wilbur join the group gathering at the door. Karl is in the middle of the doorway. He closes his eyes. A deep, agonizing feeling forms in his chest. His breathing is dry and his lungs feel shaky. He tugs at the lanyard holding his keys hanging around his neck. He opens his eyes and steps forward. His shoe hits the concrete step. His footsteps patter against the stairs as his pace gets faster. As he arrives closer to the middle of the stairs, darkness consumes his vision. The light glow provided only lights up a small area at the end of the stairs. He slows down, hesitantly stepping.  
  
_My phone flashlight._  
  
He reaches into his back pocket and he pulls out his phone. The screen lights up as he presses on the power button. An unsettling sight lies in the upper part of his screen.  
  
**No Signal**  
  
Along with,  
  
**24%.**  
  
_Great. No signal and my phone is dying._  
  
He swipes down the control center and turns on his flashlight. The light shines on the bottom of the stairs. Nine stairs are left before Karl. He steps down the remaining steps, vigilantly watching the hallway expanding into his view. The narrow hallway is even longer than he thought it was. The walls are lined with candle lit lamps every few feet. About 30 feet away, a metal door sits at the end. Besides the lamps, the walls are empty. The lamp lights flicker every few seconds. He turns off his phone flashlight and he places his phone into his back pocket.  
  
"Guys, you should come check this out," Karl calls out to the top of the stairs.  
  
"Are we going to die?" George asks.  
  
"Do I sound like I’m dead, you nimrod," Karl says giggling.  
  
A collective thud of footsteps fall down the stairs.  
  
"Oh, geez," Wilbur says.  
  
"Dang," Quackity says.  
  
"I’ll be honest it’s not as bad as I thought it would be," Sapnap says.  
  
"Are you kidding me? This is so creepy," Niki says.  
  
"You do realize we are trapped here, right?" Dream says. "We have no way of getting out. I think it’s already bad enough."  
  
"Well, yeah, but I thought there would be weapons, or demons, or whatever," Sapnap says.  
  
"Oh, good to know that being trapped in an eerie mansion and being forced to walk down creepy stairs is ‘not bad’," Wilbur says making hand quotations.  
  
Sapnap rolls his eyes saying, "Says the wuss who wouldn’t go first."  
  
"You’re such a hypocrite. You were the one who wouldn’t go first, but apparently now it’s not so bad," Wilbur snaps back.  
  
As they are bickering back and forth, Karl starts to wander down the hallway. His right hand fingers trace the cold wall an arms length away. The width of the passageway is about the length of his arm span. The height is about eight feet tall. He gazes at the small space around him, searching for needed answers to the yearning questions he has.  
  
_How do I get out?  
  
Why are we trapped here?  
  
What happened to Austin?  
  
Where does this door lead to?  
  
Why is there even a hallway down here?  
  
Will we ever get out?_  
  
Before he knows it, the reckless thoughts distracting him bring him to the door. He stops in front of the door, his heart beating out of his chest. He gulps and a flood of angst slides down his throat. His eyes follow the edges of the door, rising and falling at some corners. His eyes slide to the silver door handle. He reaches his shaky hand out to the handle. His hand grasps the handle. He twists it, slowly opening the door. While he is opening the door, he hears panicked voices yell out his name.  
  
"Karl!" Dream yells.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sapnap hollers.  
  
Sounds of heavy footsteps lie underneath the blaring shouts. Before anyone can reach Karl, the door is wide open. Karl's met with a gigantic, grey room covered with the same concrete floors and walls. The walls shoot to a high ceiling. Karl steps into the room, getting a better view. The room is even wider than he thought it was.  
  
_This has to be about two thousand square feet._  
  
He spins in a circle, taking in every inch of the room. About five doors lie evenly spaced on each wall. The rest of the room is empty, except for spider webs filled with bugs sitting in corners. The rest of the group comes running into the room. Karl is standing close to the middle of the room, speechless. His heart’s beating with an intense speed. Adrenaline rushes through his body, covering the nerves coursing quickly through his veins. The light shake stuck in his fingers sends waves of energy to the rest of his body. The sudden surge causes his breathing to be rough and uneven. Some people in the group are doing the same movement Karl did, and some are standing completely still.  
  
"Oh my-" Niki mutters before freezing into a tight stance.  
  
"I swear, if I keep seeing fucking doors, I'm going to lose my shit," Sapnap angrily says clenching his fists.  
  
"What are we supposed to do now?" Minx asks.  
  
"Well, we can't go back up the stairs because there's no escape up there." Wilbur looks around the room. "There's no windows to try and climb out of."  
  
"Only a million doors," Dream says.  
  
"I don't even want to try to open them," George says.  
  
Unmistakable laughter echoes throughout the room. Karl exhales recognizing the laughter. A shiver falls down his spine. He tenses his face as unwanted thoughts slide into his brain.  
  
The voice, even raspier than before, says, "You've now moved on to the next step. This is where it all begins."  
  
Sapnap scoffs saying, "We can finally start the Love or Host."  
  
"The game can now start," the voice says.  
  
"Game? I don't know if I'd call love a game, but alright buddy," Quackity says lightly laughing.  
  
The voice groans.  
  
"I'm not talking about Austin's Love or Host."  
  
"Then what the hell are we doing here?" Minx asks.  
  
"I'm talking about my game. The end game."  
  
"I didn't know we were talking about The Avengers over here," Quackity says jokingly.  
  
Laughter fills the big space around them.  
  
The voice shouts, "Enough!"  
  
The room goes silent as the choppy voice flies through the room.  
  
"Enough of the useless games. It's my turn now. My game. Now, it's still going to be a Love or Host, just not in the way you're used to. First thing all of you will do is go into pairs. Couple up, you could say."  
  
Karl looks at the others in the room.  
  
_Six guys, two girls. Four pairs._  
  
"How are we going to do this?" Niki asks.  
  
"I'll go with George." Dream locks eyes with Karl. "Obviously because the fandom ships us and everything. If there’s a chance of this being streamed, then we have to feed the dnf shippers."  
  
Karl raises his eyebrows again at Dream. Dream repeats the same action as before by looking away.  
  
"I'll go with Niki. If this is an actual game, we make a pretty good team," Wilbur says looking at her.  
  
Karl looks at Minx, Quackity and Sapnap. When he locks eyes with Sapnap, Sapnap slightly smiles.  
  
"I'll go with Sapnap. I've known him the longest," Karl says, keeping eye contact with him.  
  
"Ugh, I guess that leaves us," Minx says turning to Quackity.  
  
"Like I'm happy about this," Quackity says glancing at her with a side eye.  
  
"The perfect pairs. Exactly how I wanted it. Now each pair, pick a door."  
  
Silence follows the mysterious voice's words. Shared looks full of fear and confusion flood throughout the room.  
  
"I don't want to pick. I'm scared," Niki says quietly.  
  
Karl gulps.  
  
"Why are we even participating? This isn't Austin's Love or Host. And don't give me the stupid shit of, 'oh no, a door won't open, looks like we're playing his stupid game'. We all sound so foolish. Feed the shippers, we make a good team. Are you hearing yourselves?" Quackity angrily says.  
  
"Well we can't just stand here. We have to do something," George says.  
  
"Maybe if we go along with it, we can get out sooner," Dream says.  
  
"What if we don't do anything? What is this piece of shit going to do?" Quackity asks.  
  
The voice returns saying, "I said, pick a door."  
  
"No," Quackity says looking up to the ceiling, "I'm not going to pick."  
  
The voice says sternly, "Don't make me repeat myself."  
  
"I heard you loud and clear-" Quackity says but is interrupted.  
  
"Quackity, don't," Wilbur quickly says.  
  
Quackity continues talking, "-the first time you said it."  
  
An unpleasant silence follows Quackity's response.  
  
The voice coldly says, "Five."  
  
"Dude, what the fuck did you do?" Sapnap shouts.  
  
"Four."  
  
"Oh my God, what is happening?" George screams.  
  
"Why is he counting down?" Dream asks.  
  
"Three."  
  
Karl runs to the door, his lanyard swinging side to side on his neck. While he is a foot away from the door, it slams shut. He looks for a handle, but there is none. He turns to the group.  
  
"There's no fucking handle!" he shouts.  
  
He bangs his hand on the metal door. A clanging sound ricochets back. Karl screams while trying to push open the door. He's pushing all of his weight into the door, attempting to open it.  
  
"Two."  
  
Dream runs to the door and tries to help Karl push it. Their combined pushes into the door do nothing. The only thing resulting from their efforts is a muffled banging made by the pressures of their bodies against the door. The screams of the group cover the sounds.  
  
"One."  
  
Dream and Karl pull away from the door out of breath. Karl’s chest heaves as he intensely listens. The only sound made is by their panting. Karl's eyebrows pinch together as he looks around the room. He quickly scans the room searching for the end result of the countdown. He tries to piece together the puzzle pieces.  
  
"Nothing happened. Absolutely nothing happened," Dream says breathlessly.  
  
The voice wickedly laughs saying, "The games have just begun."  



	8. We're In This Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the voice pressures the group, new chaos is created among everyone.

"He manipulated us," George says quietly. "He fucking manipulated us into thinking that something was going to happen."  
  
"A mind game. That’s what has begun," Wilbur says.  
  
"Nothing was going to happen. Everything that did happen was a part of his plan," Dream says.  
  
"The perfect pairs," Niki says.  
  
"Exactly. When Quackity was going off of his plan, he went into a manipulative mode," Wilbur says.  
  
"Don’t think you all have me figured out. All of you don’t know anything about me, but I know everything about each person in the room. I advise all of you to listen to my instructions. I do have the power here. I’ve even pushed one of your friends to insanity already," the voice says.  
  
"One of us to insanity? Who?" Sapnap asks.  
  
"He’s trying to gain power over us by gaslighting us. No one is insane here," Dream says.  
  
"Says the boy who almost broke his elbow attempting to break a window," Minx says.  
  
"I will agree with the voice on the power part," George says looking to the ground.  
  
"George, are you crazy? You're actually agreeing with him?" Quackity asks.  
  
"We’re trapped in a fucking basement, and he could kill any of us at any moment!" George shouts.  
  
"Why are you thinking like that?" Niki asks.  
  
"It’s what we’re all thinking," George sternly says with his eyes darting at Niki.  
  
"No, those are your thoughts. Don’t spread your opinion on others," Quackity says glaring at George.  
  
Karl’s still standing in front of the locked door, Dream still next to him. He’s facing his friends gathered in a circle arguing with each other.  
  
_They’re falling apart._  
  
Distressed looks are all over everyone’s face as they argue.  
  
_Clearly everyone’s on edge, but I never thought they would turn so quickly on each other._  
  
Karl tunes out the yelling for a quick second. It’s quiet. A still sense floats throughout the room. A boisterous noise is missing.  
  
_He hasn’t said anything since the arguing started. When things didn’t go how he wanted it to, he said something. Why hasn’t he said anything?_  
  
The hidden chaos that the voice brought to the room is absent.  
  
_He wants us to turn on each other. We’re doing what he wants. We’re still on his plan even when we don’t think we are._  
  
Karl returns back to the surface mayhem caused by the yelling.  
  
Karl hears Dream say, "-all your fault."  
  
"Guys!" Karl shouts above the group. The group goes quiet. "Don’t you see what you’re doing? You’re doing exactly what he wants by arguing,"  
  
"What do you suggest we do then?" Wilbur asks.  
  
"I don’t know what to do," Karl says looking around the room. He leans against the cold, metal door behind him.  
  
"Do we open all of the doors and see if anything leads outside?" George asks.  
  
"Here's the thing, we don’t know what’s behind those doors. I don’t want to open a door and see something I wish I never did," Dream says.  
  
Quackity rubs a hand over his forehead while asking, "Should we just pick a door?"  
  
"Did you not just hear what I said?" Dream shouts.  
  
"I heard what you said, but what do you suggest we do, genius?" Quackity asks.  
  
"Not open a door!" Dream yells back.  
  
"So sit here and wait. Great idea," Quackity snaps.  
  
"Okay, how many times do I have to say this, stop arguing. You’re only making this worse," Karl says.  
  
Dream crosses his arms as he quickly exhales. Karl leans off of the door.  
  
"How do we always hear the voice? It’s everywhere we are. There has to be some type of control room, or place where the voice system leads to," Wilbur says looking around the room.  
  
Dream lifts his arm above the door. He knocks his fist into the concrete wall.  
  
"It’s solid concrete. There’s no way there’s wires in the wall," Dream says.  
  
"What if it’s hollowed out?" Niki asks.  
  
"Can you even do that?" George asks.  
  
"We’re in an underground bunker, I wouldn’t eliminate anything," Quackity says.  
  
"Once you guys are done having your pity party, choose a door," the voice calls out.  
  
Karl looks around anxiously at the doors anticipating his worst fears to come flying out through the walls. An unsettling fear rests in his head, burning at the curious wicks stationed in his mind. Part of him wants to explore the hidden rooms surrounding him, but the other part wants to run as far away as he possibly can from this torture chamber.  
  
_The first game he played was all mental. Is it going to stay that way?_  
  
A wanting to escape pulls him to the doors, but a cautious wall blocks his path. Karl looks at the others in the room. It’s quiet. An almost peaceful silence. A sense of comfort. A collective feeling of concern that’s bringing them together, creating a bond absent from before. He locks eyes with Sapnap, and a flood of comfort comes through him.  
  
_All of this isn't ideal, but at least I'm here with my destiny._  
  
Sapnap calmly says, "Karl’s right about all of this. Arguing isn’t going to help. We have to stick together."  
  
An encrypted message floats through their stunning connection. A message sent from both sides, neither message left on read.  
  
_I’m sorry…_  
  
With a few seconds of eye contact, Karl’s back. He’s brought back up from the deep cave Sapnap pushed him down. A sweet symphony of hope swirls around him. A small smile spreads across his face.  
  
_Even at our worst times we bounce right back. I’ve never felt this for anyone. Why him? What’s so different about him?_  
  
Karl’s eyes trail from Sapnap’s as they scale the cold walls. They fall back into Sapnap’s.  
  
_He’s an escape. Paradise hidden behind trees, only seen if you look a little further._  
  
"We got into this together, we can get out of this together," Niki says.  
  
Karl looks at Niki, then to the rest of the group.  
  
"I guess the only way to get out is to play along," Wilbur says.  
  
The raspy voice returns. "Now everyone is getting the memo."  
  
"I still fucking hate that guy," Quackity says pointing to the ceiling.  
  
"Don’t get me wrong, I do too, but we can’t put our anger from him onto each other," Karl says.  
  
"Apparently, all we can do is pick a door," George says in a mocking voice.  
  
"Who wants to do it?" Dream asks.  
  
"Okay, let’s say we pick a door. What happens then? I mean, if we all open one door, what were the pairs for?" Wilbur asks.  
  
The wicked voice returns saying, "That wasn’t going to come until later, but for refusing for so long, pick a door and a pair."  
  
"Oh my God," Minx says.  
  
"Great, we couldn’t pick a door and now we have to pick a pair too," Dream says.  
  
Karl glances at Sapnap. Sapnap slightly raises an eyebrow, sending Karl a message.  
  
_Should we…_  
  
Karl looks to the ground. They’re on the same wavelength. Karl takes a deep breath, steadying his heart. His eyes go back to Sapnap’s. As Karl exhales, he slowly nods his head up and down.  
  
Sapnap breaks the newfound silence. "We’ll go first."  
  
"Are you sure?" Niki asks.  
  
"You don’t know what could be in there," Wilbur says.  
  
"Waiting around isn’t going to make anything better. If anything it’s going to make it worse," Sapnap says.  
  
"Where do we even start?" Karl says looking at all of the doors.  
  
"I’m guessing we’re going to have to go through all of them, so why not start at the door to the right of the one we came through?" Sapnap asks.  
  
Karl glances over at the new, metal door. He slowly walks to the waiting door, Sapnap behind him. He stops in front of it and Sapnap stands to his left. Karl looks up at Sapnap.  
  
"We’re in this together, right?" Karl asks.  
  
"Yep," Sapnap replies looking forward.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry these last two chapters have been short! They are important connecting chapters for what is to come :)


End file.
